Hogwarts: Don't call me Wandmaker

Chapter 347 Rita Skeeter

Silen spoke casually, as if he were talking to a pen pal he had just met. But Rita Skeeter on the other end of the line didn't see it that way at all.

Upon hearing Xilun's words, she immediately trembled with excitement. Just as she was about to say something, she realized that there were three brooms here.

"boom!"

Rita Skeeter slammed a piece of parchment on the table and asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean by this?!"

There is a pattern in the middle of the parchment that looks like it was drawn with a quill pen, and the artist's skill was so poor that it can only be barely made out to be a beetle.

Below the beetle is a line of smaller text.

Saturday, three brooms.

“Not bad, isn’t it?” Siren said with a smile. “Of course, I’m sure Ms. Skeeter’s Animagus is even more beautiful than mine.”

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Rita Skeeter suddenly shouted, immediately attracting the attention of many people, including the bar owner, Ms. Rosmerta, who subconsciously glanced in their direction.

Fortunately, everyone was just startled and stopped paying attention after taking a look.

Rita Skeeter finally breathed a sigh of relief.

There was no way she could be too careful, as an unregistered Animagus who wasn't registered with the Ministry of Magic.

Because if this were discovered, she would definitely be imprisoned in Azkaban.

Yes, Rita Skeeter is an illegal Animagus who can transform into a beetle. With this ability, she overhears many secrets... Who would care about an insignificant bug in the corner?
But now, this secret has been discovered.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” She looked up at Xilun and said in a low voice.

“It’s alright, no need to admit it. You know in your heart whether you understand or not,” Xiren said. He picked up the parchment from the table, folded it twice, and casually tossed it into the fireplace where a roaring fire was burning.

……

After a long silence, Rita Skeeter finally spoke again: "What do you want, Galon? I can give you all the money."

“You’ve misunderstood, Ms. Skeeter. I don’t need Gallon, and I have no intention of blackmailing you,” Siron said.

A snicker came from inside the scarf.

Rita Skeeter clearly didn't believe what Siren said at all, and found it all laughable.

"Ok."

She simply took off her hat and scarf, revealing her exquisite, curly blonde hair.

Rita Skeeter realized that the person in front of her hadn't directly told the Ministry of Magic that she was an Animagus, so he must have some other thoughts and purposes.

If that's the case, then there's nothing to be afraid of.

"Can you tell me how you found out about this?" she asked. "I'm confident I've never revealed it, nor have I told anyone about it."

“Then you’re too confident,” Siren said. “Whenever magic is used, it leaves a trace. The reason no one has noticed is simply because they haven’t realized it.”

“But we’ve never seen it,” Rita Skeeter said, glancing at the parchment turned to ashes in the fireplace, “...in every sense of the word.”

“Actually, I have seen them before, you just don’t remember. For example, in Diagon Alley, or at the Quidditch World Cup,” Celen said. “Besides, you should know my grandfather.”

"Who is your grandfather?"

“Garrick Ollivander,” Siren said.

"You're an Ollivander?!" Rita Skeeter abruptly looked up, staring intently at Siron. She seemed to vaguely recall him, but not much.

This makes it even harder to understand. Why would Ollivander threaten her for no reason? She doesn't seem to have written anything about Garrick Ollivander recently.

Unable to figure it out, Rita Skeeter simply asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Everything..." Halfway through his sentence, Xiren suddenly felt as if something was staring at him. He subconsciously glanced out the window and saw a person who was also covered up, with their head and face covered.

Strangely, after coming into Xilun's sight, the other person immediately hid in the shop next door.

What is that... someone who came out of Pighead Bar?
“Alright, in that case, I'm afraid I can't keep you company any longer.” At this point, Rita Skeeter stood up. “I have many things to do, if you really have something to say…”

She paused for a few seconds before continuing, "Next time you write a letter, you'd better go to the Pig's Head Bar next door; it's safer there."

“I don’t think so.” Celen shrugged, rejecting Rita Skeeter’s suggestion.

Just kidding, there's another Dumbledore in the Hog's Head. He'd have to be crazy to go there to discuss secrets.

But Rita Skeeter was clearly unaware of this. When Siren refused, the muscles in her face twitched visibly, and then she left without looking back.

She still couldn't understand how her biggest secret had suddenly been exposed, and what Xilun's purpose was in meeting with her this time...

At another time, she would definitely have figured all this out, but right now, she had other, more important things to do... a big news story she couldn't refuse.

As long as we're sure Sirius won't immediately report us to the Ministry of Magic, the priority right now is Hogwarts; everything else can wait.

Rita Skeeter left in a hurry.

Siren bought a few bottles of butterbeer, left the Three Broomsticks, and prepared to return to Hogwarts.

He had only gone halfway when someone suddenly jumped out from the side and blocked his way.

"Damn it, you broke your promise!" Ludo Bagman's face flushed red beneath his scarf.

“You promised me you wouldn’t tell Rita Skeeter about that!” he growled.

“To correct you, I won’t tell her after I become a warrior,” Celen said. “Also, she came to me this time for something else, nothing to do with you.”

"Are you telling the truth?"

“Of course,” Siren said. “I just didn’t expect that you would go looking for Rita Skeeter… no, I should say you were looking for that owl, and ended up here following her.”

Ludo Bagman didn't speak, and his eyes became evasive.

“It’s okay, I would have done the same if I were you,” Xiren said with a smile.

He specifically sought out Rita Skeeter this time to make some preparations for what would happen later, never expecting to run into Ludo Bagman.

As for the owl he was looking for... well, it's safe to say he'll never find it.

Because there was no such owl at all; it was all made up by Siren. His only preparation was the portrait in the foyer.

“Of course, Mr. Bagman,” Siren continued, “if you break your promise, I won’t mind contacting Rita Skeeter again.”

"But I believe you won't let me down."

After encouraging Ludo Bagman, Siron went into Honey Duke and sneaked into the underground storage room while the shopkeeper was looking for something.

(End of this chapter)